We have recently secured funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to investigate the interactions between ericoid and ectomycorrhizal fungi in native Scots pine woodland.

We plan to use a combination of radio and stable isotope labelling procedures to trace carbon and nutrient flow in Scots pine and bilberry connected by a common fungal endophyte that appears to be able to form both ericoid and ectomycorrhizas (See Villarreal-Ruiz et al. 2004. New Phytologist).

Complementary molecular approaches will characterise genotypes of the H. ericae aggregate occurring on both pine and bilberry roots.

The research programme involves Ian Alexander, Dave Johnson, Ian Anderson, Gwen Grelet and Hedda Weitz.